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Pioneer Elementary Board Meeting Agenda

September 12, 2022 Board Meeting Minutes

Pioneer Elementary School

1937 Dover Road

Billings, MT   59105     Telephone (406)-373-5357

www.pioneerschool.us

Mission Statement:  Our mission is to serve the community and the school by creating a safe environment that fosters Respect, Trust, Accountability, and Responsibility while promoting life-long learning for all.

 

Regular Meeting Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 12, 2022

Presented for Approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  October 10. 2022

 

DATE: September 12, 2022

 

TIME: 4:30 p.m. 

 

PLACE: Pioneer School, Main Building, Room 106

 

MEMBERS Kari Jones, Chairperson arrived at 5:15

PRESENT: Colleen Unruh, Trustee  

Joshua Cantrell, Trustee

MEMBERS

ABSENT: None

 

CLERK: Marilyn Michael

 

ADMIN: Melissa Schnitzmeier

 

STAFF: Raelynn Melber arrived at 4:30 pm. Taylor Eissinger arrived at 4:30 pm via Zoom.

 

VISITORS: None

GUESTS:  None

 

  1. OPENING

 

  1. 1.  CALL TO ORDER:

Trustee, Colleen Unruh called the meeting of the trustees of Pioneer Elementary School District #41 to order in Room 106 of the main building and via Zoom, Monday, September 12, 2022 at 4:30 pm.  Trustee, Colleen Unruh welcomed all those attending.  Trustee, Colleen Unruh read the Montana Law about public meetings.  

 

  1. INDIVIDUALS, DELEGATIONS, CORRESPONDENCE
  1. Public Comment – None
  2. CORRESPONDENCE
    1. Weekly Agendas 8/29.22 through 9/16/22
    2. September Newsletter
    3. Letter of Approval to non-residents & acceptance – 
  1.  DISTRICT REPORTS (ADMIN)

Superintendent Report for September:

Enrollment: 72

K – 10

1 – 16

2 – 9

3 – 10

4 – 10

5 – 7

6 – 6

7 – 3

8 – 1

Standards/Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment

Fall NWEA MAPS Testing K-8 – Underway. This information will be used to determine student supports through our RTI/MTSS program. The team will meet two times monthly to disseminate student data. Parent information letters are set sent home regarding our RTI/MTSS program.

Staffing & Climate

Due to the lack of suitable candidates, we were forced to combine our 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms which is now being taught by Ms. Deutch. A huge thank you to Ms. Deutch for jumping on the challenge of switching things up on such short notice. She’s rocking the ⅔ combo as I knew she would.

KTVQ and the Howard Scripps Foundation are once again partnering with Pioneer School for “Give a Child a Book” Scholastic Book Fair events. We are very humbled and excited to again be able to offer our Pioneer students free books through this program. Q2 will be here tomorrow to interview myself and a few students. 

COVID-19

For the 22-23 school year, we will be moving away from the requirement of testing to return and 5-day isolation period. Staff and students who fall ill should remain out for 48 hours and until symptoms resolve as referenced in our sick policy. The district does have rapid COVID-19 test kits available to those who wish to test. 

Outdoor Education and Dover Park

Carolyn Sevier met with our staff August 22, 23, and 31st for professional development. The team enjoyed lessons on the principles and practices of outdoor learning with a focus on how to connect our students to the outdoors safely. We will continue to meet with Carolyn monthly as we build and structure our curriculum around areas of opportunity for outdoor learning.

I am also looking at opportunities that the park may offer for our Adult Education program. YRPA would like to partner with and run program classes through our Adult Education program. Carolyn and I are working out the specifics in regards to liability and insurance but hope to have program offerings as soon as October.  We look forward to bringing our community in to experience both our school and our neighboring park. 

Carolyn and I are working together to look at grant opportunities and sponsorships that might help us build our unique program over the course of the next 3-5 years to ensure a complete, blended curriculum. 

Melissa will contact MSGIA to ask about insurance coverage for adult education programs that take place in Dover Park.

Grants/Reporting

Title 1 – $46,432 – Submitted

IDEA Consolidated – Submitted 

ESSER/ARP Amendment for the 22-23 Year – Submitted & returned for modifications. Melissa will work on this.

Building/Grounds Maintenance

 The purge day was an incredible success thanks to the handful of staff who volunteered their time prior to school starting to pitch in and help. We were able to completely clear the basement of the old, outdated and/or broken items filling two 30-yard dumpsters in just two days. Curriculum was transferred to the new shed for easier access and safer storage. 

  1. CONSENT AGENDA

 

  1. MINUTE APPROVAL – Regular minutes of August 10, 2022
  2. August Warrants #22039 – #22053 Claims total $11,157.49; Warrants #9146 – #9147 Payroll including ACH & Direct Deposit total $45,007.20
  3. Expenditure Reports – August 2022
  4. Approval of bills for September 2022

 

Joshua Cantrell made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Colleen seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried

 

  1. BOARD ACTION ITEMS

 

  1. Building Maintenance – nothing at this time
  2. Safety Enhancements – Melissa presented a proposal for Emergent 3 program. This is a program that helps schools prevent, notify and respond to emergencies. Melissa explained that we could use this program for drills and in the event of emergency to warn staff and make sure everyone is safe. The cost is $1000 per year with a one time $300 set up & training fee. Melissa is going to check with the company as she was told by 2 other districts that their cost was only $500. Colleen would like to make sure that trainings and drills involve other situations that could come up in the event of an emergency. Joshua asked if it would also notify parents in the event of an emergency. Melissa will check into these questions. 
  3. Dover Park Discussions – Melissa continues to work with Carolyn Sevier on the Dover Park use. They are also checking into water rights and accessibility. They are starting to schedule field trips to the park. Melissa also reported that YRPA is looking into fencing around the school for safety once the pond is built.
  4. Bond Effort – Melissa stated that she would like to explore the tuition concerns that community members had with our last bond effort. She suggested possibly doing a survey to non-resident students to see if they would stay if they were charged tuition.  She would also like to get some community meetings going for a possibly bond vote in May.
  5. Request for training – Raelynn Melber – HSI Advanced Trauma Course – Raelynn Melber was in attendance to ask the board to pay for her next level of HIS Advance Trauma training. With this training, she could train could train parents and other teachers on helping them to help students with trauma. The goal could also be to show other schools how a trauma informed school works. The cost of the course is $3997. After discussion, Joshua made a motion to approve paying for the HIS Advance Trauma Course for Raelynn Melber. Colleen seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.
  6. Hire Janitor – Jacob Montgomery applied for the janitor position. Melissa interviewed him and offered him the position. She explained that now the board needs to formally approve his hiring.  Colleen made a motion to hire Jacob Montgomery at $13.25 per hour. Joshua seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.
  7. Certified and Classified Staff Salary Review and Possible Updates – Melissa explained that due to not being able to offer staff cash in lieu of benefits, she would like to open negotiations with the union to possibly raise the certified salaries in an effort to make up for some of the losses of income to the staff. Melissa has a new salary matrix for the certified staff that she will propose to the union.  Joshua made a motion to allow Melissa to take the new matrix to the union and negotiate with the union on a new salary matrix. Colleen seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried. Melissa also proposed raising the aide and janitor salaries to make up for the loss of income that some classified staff have incurred. She proposed raising the salaries of Kellie Garey from $14 to $16, Megan Colvin and Stacy Hazen from $13.25 to $15.25 and Jacob Montgomery from $13.25 to $14.25. Joshua made a motion to approve raising the salaries of Kellie Garey from $14 to $16, Megan Colvin and Stacy Hazen from $13.25 to $15.25 and Jacob Montgomery from $13.25 to $14.25 beginning 9/1/22. Kari seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried. 
  8. Teacher leave request over 4 days – Taylor Eissinger has requested leave from 9/12/22 through 9/16/22. The leave must be approved by the board as per their contract. Joshua made a motion to approve Taylor Eissinger’s leave from 9/12/22 through 9/16/22. Kari seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried. 
  9. Melissa leave request over 4 days – Melissa has requested leave from 10/27/22 through 11/4/22. The leave must be approved by the board as per her contract. Joshua made a motion to approve Melissa’s leave from 10/27/22 through 11/4/22. Colleen seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.
  10. 2022-2023 Bus Routes updates & stops requiring crossing road – Marilyn presented updated bus routes and a list of students that must cross the road to board the bus. Joshua made a motion to approve the bus routes and list of students crossing the road to board the bus. Kari seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.
  11. Transportation Contract approval – Marilyn presented a new transportation contract for two students that must be transported to YBGR by their grandparents. Melissa explained there is a possibility the Shepherd bus could transport them; however, their bus may be full. Joshua made a motion to approve the transportation contract to YBGR Colleen seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous; the motion carried.
  12. Cafeteria Plan/IRS Updates – Melissa explained that we are still waiting on the plan documents, so this is tabled for now.

 

VI .  ADJOURNMENT:  

A motion was made by Joshua Cantrell to adjourn the meeting. Kari Jones seconded the motion.  The vote was unanimous; motion carried.  The meeting ended at 6:05 pm.  The next scheduled regular meeting is Monday, October 10, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. in Room 106 of the main building and via Zoom. 

 

APPROVAL

 

Attest: __________________________     SIGNED: ____________________________

          Kari Jones, Board Chairperson

DATE: _________________________